Dark Chocolate and Desire

You can have anything you want—if you want it badly enough.
You can be anything you want to be,
do anything you set out to accomplish
if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.
– Abraham Lincoln

Mentioning dark chocolate is provocative to say the least. Stimulating. Drool worthy. Set aside the flavonoids (pigments found in plants) that act as antioxidants which combat free radicals. Let us go to the pleasure-filled taste sensation in every scrumptious bit or bite. Imagination break . . .

Okay, you’re sitting in front of a log-filled fireplace that’s glowing warmly against your face while finishing your new favorite book. Are you there now? Let’s not stop. You have that comfy blanky that you love tucking under your chin. A cup of Colombian roast in your favorite mug. But, you sense something is missing. No, it’s not the kids, remember they are spending the weekend at grandma’s. Spous-y-pooh is slicing into the trees (also known as golfing). Did you forget to marinade the pork roast? Yes. You did that this morning before weeding the garden. Let me think…aha! I know! The piece of Grandma’s Dark chocolate that just happens to be in the cabinet behind the canned beets (really, you weren’t hiding it, you were protecting it). You make haste and grab them (oops, I meant it). You carefully unwrap the foil. You smell the aroma and almost faint. You place it gently in your mouth and, again, you almost faint. You grab the mug and sip and allow the coffee to swirl over and around the chocolate. You repeat this exercise with the other two pieces that happen to be sitting on the end table. You’re sure you can taste the very trees this dark came out of. You finish the last three pages and sink deeply into a restful sleep.

Okay, time to wake up…dinner needs to be made, the children will be home in half an hour, etc. Did you think it would last forever? Sorry, just the facts of life.

I don’t think it would take much for me to talk you into enjoying the above scenario. If we eliminated everything except the dark chocolate, most of you would still be willing takers. I know I would. After all, at times, isn’t it survival medicine?

Now, let us delve into desire.

When we have a desire that can be easily met we usually meet it easily. We don’t procrastinate. We don’t make excuses. We don’t justify. We don’t waffle. We become aggressive, we attack. These are things we don’t say, “Well, maybe I’ll eat that chocolate tomorrow,” or “I would eat that chocolate if only I didn’t have to unwrap the foil.” It may sound silly but, please stay with me here.

Why can’t that same desire transcend chocolate and be used in bettering one’s self? Can we receive the same satisfaction from going to the gym or taking that business course that will move you to the next level, painting that scene that keeps popping up in your head? Writing that book, singing lessons, martial arts, reading, eating healthy, getting that invention up and running?

Yes! Yes! The satisfaction we receive from true accomplishments greatly surpasses anything that’s palatable. I know, it is much easier just to eat chocolate. That won’t get you home. That will not fulfill you. There is so much more for you. You have dreams that need to be quenched. Goals that must be met. In short, you have desires. And, to get these desires you must live with…desire. Want to. Passion. You must be indefatigable. You must be willing to be proactive even through struggle so that you can taste the sweetness of… success, fulfillment, YOUR SPECIAL DREAM.

No one is waiting to hand you your dream. Yet, everyone is.

Before you have me committed, let me explain.

There are very few cases of people walking up to strangers and handing them a million dollars and saying, “Hey, spend wisely. Pay me back when you have it.”

There are millions of cases where perfect strangers have bent over backwards to offer a hand (money, advice, etc.) to a go-getter. A person with passion.

When I was kicking booty in real estate, people wanted to work with me, partner on deals, sell me deals, etc. They wanted to work with me because of my passion. The deals I would locate could have been had by others. They would have only had to do one thing: be more passionate than me. Their dream would have needed to be a little bigger. And as big as mine was and is, there were still tons of deals that I didn’t get.

If your dreams are truly sweet to you, you won’t have to be concerned about the ones that got away. There will be more than enough to completely satisfy.

The next part of this entry will focus on acting upon desire. Get that coffee and chocolate (dark is healthier) and let’s begin. If you need to take a break please do, but, be ready to take actions when you come back.

Write out 5 goals or dreams close to your heart. If it is climbing Everest, write it. Writing a book, put it down. Piloting an airplane. Financial freedom, list it. Be specific.

Look at the list and pick the one that is most important to you. The one that says I will be fulfilled if… This may take some time. You may need to dream on it. Don’t be afraid or think it’s silly to dream. Cemeteries are loaded with unfulfilled dreams. Sad, but true. It doesn’t sound so silly now does it? Be brave. Fortune favors the bold. Put aside the thoughts of what may or may not be possible. Put aside, “Sure, I’d love to climb Everest, but, how in the world would I ever get to the Himalayas?”

The how is not important now. Just make the list and narrow it down.

Remember this: actions fulfill desires. Let’s begin unwrapping the foil to your dream.

Answer these questions:

• What will I feel like when it is realized?
• Will there be a pep in my step? A smile on my face?
• Will I trust myself more and begin living other dreams (goals)?

Visualize. Put yourself there. It feels good. Doesn’t it?

The most important question:

• What (who) can stop me from achieving this goal?

Your answer on the last one should be NO ONE and NOTHING!

Are you ready to hold your dream captive?

Are you ready to fight for you?

That’s great, my friend!

Take a step today that will move you closer to your dream.

Grow.

Get out there and live it, and live it LOUD!

Remember friend, you are the only you, you have!